Top 10 - Eco, Green and Fun Websites for Kids

I love kids so much so that I have three, all boys. The problem I have is what eco web sites should I let them look at. They see me working on the computer and talking about the internet, so now they want a go, have a look and play. After some searching I found this list of kid eco sites on the BBCGreen web site compiled by Lily Barclay. Hopefully these sites will keep your kids amused for a while and also educate them on some important eco and green issues.

1. Recyclezone

The Recyclezone is sponsored by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences and is a great source of green information for school children. It’s bright, interactive and easy to use with a wide range of brain teasers, jokes and ideas – don’t miss Recycler the Rapping Robot’s musical debut.

For more information visit: Recycle Zone

2. The Greens

Meet the Greens is a website about an environmentally conscious family who are trying to do their bit for the planet. This US-based site features short animated adventures, which all carry an eco-message. ‘Tons of trash’, ‘birds need trees’ and ‘food rescue’ are just a few of the episodes on the site.

There’s also an interactive blog where children can discuss how they feel about the programmes they’ve watched. For more information visit: Meet The Greens

3. CBeebies Green Balloon Club

The Green Balloon Club stars four eco-warrior children and a dog, who live in a virtual green club house. The site is full of songs, videos, print and colour activities – and there’s a green star club where you can print out a chart and collect reward stickers for good green behaviour.

For more information visit: Green Balloon Club

4. Environment Agency – Fun and Games

The Environment Agency’s dedicated children’s section is home to a wealth of games, information and animated news bulletins. There are lots of surprising facts and figures to get your little ones thinking, as well as a tool to calculate your family’s eco footprint and tips on how to reduce it.

For more information visit: Environment Agency

5. National Geographic Kids

The National Geographic children’s site is a great resource, which focuses on topics like animal migration, the environment and how it affects the wildlife around us. There are plenty of quizzes, videos, games, stories and tips to bring your children closer to the nature around them. Check out the step-by-step guide to planting your own garden.

For more information visit: National Geographic

6. WaterBusters!

This interactive game has been created by the Saving Water Partnership, Seattle, USA. Your mission is to help Phil Dumpster and his friend Bert the Salmon (who is on hand with green advice) to find the areas around the house where they can save water, money and the environment before they are washed away!

For more information visit: Waterbusters

7. Nature Challenge for Kids

Meet David Suzuki - he’ll challenge your children to follow a ten-step action plan covering topics such as food, travel, and the home. The idea is for children to gain better eco-awareness and apply it to their everyday lives. You’ll also find fun role play ideas and activities to encourage kids to express their views on nature and the environment.

For more information visit:Nature Challenge for Kids

8. Scholastic Explorers - Earthwatch Partnership

This educational site is a great tool for inspiring children to expand their learning skills, as well as their knowledge of wildlife and the environment. Find tips on discovering the eco systems in your garden as well as the chance to watch a wildlife video and submit a report on what you see.

For more information visit: Teacher Scholastic

9. Charlie and Lola - Look After Your Planet

This popular game is a fun way of familiarising your children with the process of recycling. The task is to navigate one of the Charlie and Lola characters to collect falling rubbish in the correct recycling bins. The fun graphics and illustrations make this a pleasure to play, and you can progress through the site to bigger challenges depending on your level of skill.

For more information visit: Charlie and Lola

10. Kidsrgreen

This hands-on site offers plenty of advice to children who want to go green - both in and out of school time. You can hop on a spaceship for a round-the-world tour or go on a mission with ‘Trip the Drip’ to discover the importance of water to the planet.

For more information visit: Kidsgreen

Cutting 10% of Emissions in 2010

Sorven Media Ltd has signed up to 10:10 - an ambitious project to unite every sector of British society behind one simple idea: that by working together we can achieve a 10% cut in the UK’s carbon emissions in 2010.

By signing up to 10:10 you commit to support the national drive to reduce Britain’s emissions steeply in 2010. That means urging your staff, suppliers and customers to sign up to cut their own emissions by 10%, helping to distribute our tags, and doing everything you can to reduce your own operational emissions

HOW CAN THE UK CUT 10%?

1 Fly less, holiday more -  Have a more responsible holiday and swap plane for train, holiday nearer to home and take fewer but longer trips – same tanning time, dramatically less climate change emissions. Never fly or only one return flight a year?

2 Save 10% on heating - Turn down your thermostat, turn off radiators in hallways and more jumpers all round. Then apply for a grant to insulate your loft & walls. Use your bill to see whether you cut 10% in 2010 and tick if you succeeded. Don’t use gas or oil?

3 Save 10% on electricity - Save energy and big cash by changing lightbulbs, replacing old fridges & freezers and always turning stuff off. Use your bill to compare 2009 usage to 2010. Produce your own electricity from solar or wind?

4 Drive less - Leave your car at home one day a week. Walk, cycle or take public transport. Join a car-club rather than owning your own and share your ride to work with a colleague or two. No car?

5 Eat better - Local, in-season fruit & veg produce the least emissions – and the less processed the better. Have one meat-free day per week – but don’t replace with just-as-bad cheese. Don’t eat meat or dairy?

6 Buy good stuff - Less stuff made = less emissions = less climate damage. So buy high-quality things that last, repair broken stuff rather than chucking, buy & sell second-hand and borrow your neighbour’s mower. Never buy new? Really?

7 Dump less - Avoid excess packaging and buying pointless stuff that goes straight in the bin, recycle everything possible and compost your food waste. No garden or scared of worms? Let you off the composting.

8 Don’t waste food… - The average British family throws away £50 worth of food every month. So don’t buy or cook more than you need and eat up those tasty leftovers. With a smile on your face. Never ever waste a drop or morsel?

9 … or water - Your tap water uses lots of energy – and then heating it in your home uses loads more – so take showers rather than baths, be careful when watering plants and only run full dishwashers & washing machines. Don’t use water? What, you’re an alien?

10 Feel happier - It’s Dec 2010… you’re healthier for walking & cycling, you’ve made new friends from swapping stuff & car-pooling, you’ve saved a big chunk of cash… and you know that you’re part of the global effort to prevent castastrophic climate change.

20 Simple Eco Living Tips

The team at Sorven Media thought that they should share some of their tips on living a more eco life. Eco Shopping is just one thing we can do but there are some simple steps we can make that actually do make a difference. So here there are:-

 General household

• 1. Switch your electricity to a renewable energy supplier.
• 2. Turn lights off and radiators down in rooms which are not being used.
• 3. Turn your thermostat down when you go out for the evening, or away for a weekend. 
• 4. Buy a smart meter to measure your energy in your home so you can work out how to be more energy efficient.
• 5. Insulate your home (especially your loft) and check for draughts to avoid needing to heat your home.
• 6. Turn off your electrical appliances instead of keeping them on standby. There are devices that can automatically do this for you.
• 7. Close your curtains in the evenings to keep the heat in.
• 8. Buy recycled and recyclable goods.

 Kitchen & Utility

•  9. Cut down on cooking time by using lids on your pans.
• 10. Don’t overfill the kettle when making a cuppa.
• 11. Avoid packaging. Buy loose fruit and vegetables locally or sign up to a local organic vegetable delivery service.
• 12. Recycle your rubbish and reuse what you can.
• 13. Choose energy efficient ‘A’ rated appliances when replacing your fridge, washing machine, TV or even a light bulb. There is a large variety of products nowadays to suit all types of fittings and styles.
• 14. Fill up! Only wash full loads in the washing machine and dishwasher. 
• 15. Low Set your washing machine at 30 instead of 40 degrees.

Bathroom 

• 16. Install a hippo in your toilet or use an Eco Showerdrop to reduce water consumption.
• 17. Reduce your water by turning off the tap when you brush your teeth.

The home & office 

• 18. Change your car insurance and bank to a company with good green policies and credentials.
• 19. Reduce the amount of printing you do.
• 20. Walk or cycle or take public transport instead of the car.

Welcome to the Sorven Media Ltd website

Over the last two year we have been so busy developing, building and growing our business (MoreEco, AffiliateEco and EcoTrendSpotter) that we had forgotten to create are own site.

So we decide to try Squarespace and build a site which details all the things we have been doing and the sites we have built and managed.

If you have any suggestion please post a comment.